The First Ever Community-led Blockchain Hackathon Coming to Philippines

Makati, Philippines (November 15, 2018) – It is often said that developers are not the most sociable folks in the room, but we know that this is not necessarily true. Put the developers in the right settings, and you will see a flurry of intellectual collisions that spark discovery and innovation. In the Philippines, various developer communities have proactively come together to organize DISH 2018, a blockchain hackathon that will encourage developers to engage in collaborative problem-solving. Held at Blockchainspace PH, this two-day event (November 24-25) is for attendees to craft a pitch deck and come up with a basic proof of concept, and hopefully end the proceedings with more than a few like-minded friends.

Indeed, mass collaboration is essential to coordinate available resources in an attempt to address large-scale challenges. Blockchain technology can alleviate persistent pain points experienced by Filipinos, such as the inefficiencies of remitting money or the lack of access to government and banking services for those without proper identification (for eg. PhilHealth and Social Security System, or SSS). The immutability of digital transactions and identification stored on the blockchain makes for efficient verification of key information, bringing about immense cost savings for the country. Given the complexity of implementing such frameworks, DISH 2018 is a platform that would first facilitate technical coordination at a simpler scale and contribute towards a collaborative environment for more extensive coordination among developers in time to come.

To sustain a growing and vibrant blockchain developer ecosystem, local developer communities need to continuously establish business partnerships and devote resources towards technical training for IT graduates in this nascent industry. As blockchain projects in this ecosystem evolve from MVP to products used by actual businesses, and as talent blossom from beginners to proficient blockchain developers, the ecosystem will eventually rise to prominence in the international community. DISH 2018, as the first community-led hackathon in the Philippines, is no doubt a major milestone. However, it is imperative for all stakeholders to leverage this platform and its outcomes to build a strong and sustainable ecosystem.

Several blockchain players already understand the significance of the event, many of which are sponsors such as Consensys Philippines, NEM Philippines, SCI Ventures Inc, and EOS Philippines. Their interest is a testament to the strong potential of the country as a number one source of blockchain talent globally. In particular, a strong grasp of the English language and relatively lower cost of engagement for developers appeal to companies. The sponsorship is reflected in the prizes, where winning teams can expect to win the following:

It is no small feat to organize the hackathon, which is expected to attract about 150 developers. BlockDevs Asia’s Chris Verceles, one of the organizers of the hackathon, describes how organically the community got together from the start: “The community quickly came together and simply volunteered to contribute what they could with no clear financial gain, exactly the way you would expect a decentralized organization to function. This in line with our goal and the essence of decentralized governance, which is to enable the community to self-organize rather than someone bossing everyone else around.” Rallying around a common purpose, the developers got around to socialize.

SupportOur community is growing steadily. As such we would need additional resources to sustain each session. If you wish to volunteer, sponsor or contribute to this event, please contact our organizers.